AL Supreme Court reduces prison pay lawsuit

by Thomas Lower

{} {} The Alabama Supreme Court has reduced the size of a lawsuit filed by five correctional officers against Alabama prison officials.{} {} In the 20-10 lawsuit, the officers say the Department of Corrections violated its own regulations on overtime pay, how officers were allowed to use earned leave, and the way officers were paid a daily subsistence allowance.{} {}{}The lawsuit named the department, prisons commissioner Kim Thomas and the Alabama Corrections institution Finance Authority.{} {} The court dismissed the department and Thomas in his capacity as prisons commissioner. {}It cited an immunity most state officers have in their official capacity from lawsuits.{} {} The court did allow the officers to continue to pursue their cases against the finance authority and against Thomas as vice president of the authority.